Sheet folding apparatus and method



Sept. 25, 1962 T. L. MILLICH SHEET FOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD FiledNOV. 21, 1.960

5 Sheets-Sheet l THOMAS L. MILL/CH A 7' TORNE VS Sept. 25, 1962 T. L.MILLICH 3,055,276

SHEET FOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed NOV. 21, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2W W W W H M hm A AH m 10 hf) INVENTOR. THOMAS L. MILL/(2H Bo n mM-l I clA TTORNEVS Sept. 25,, 1962 T. L. MILLICH 3,055,276

SHEET FOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Nov. 21, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR. THOMAS L. MILL/CH a hwmoumwml 1 T TORNE rs p 1962 T. MILLICH3,055,276

SHEET FOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed NOV. 21, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 473 fr m I I lfi l w Q 7 INVENTOR. L. MILL/CH A T TORNEVS Sept. 25, 1962"r. 1.. MILLICH SHEET FOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Nov. 21, 1960 5SheetsSheet 5 .IN VEN TOR. THOMfiS L.

A TTO/PNEVS 3,055,276 SHEET FQLDKNG APPARATUS AND METHOD Thomas L.Millieh, R0. Box 296, Beverly, Mass. Filed Nov. 21, 1969, Ser. No.70,696 9 Claims. (U. 93-4 9) This invention relates to an apparatus andmethod for folding over two of the opposite marginal portions of a sheetof foldable material and has for one of its objects the provision ofapparatus, and a method for so folding said marginal portions in asimple, fast and highly efiicient manner.

In the carton making industry, and elsewhere, there is no difficulty inmoving cardboard or paper-like blanks and sheets in one direction and infolding over the lateral marginal portions of such blanks along linesextending longitudinally of the direction of movement of the blanks.Ordinary folding plows, belts and the like, positioned over the path oftravel of such blanks perform this function efiiciently. However, fastand efiicient folding of the leading and trailing flaps or marginalportions of blanks has heretofore required accurate timing of the blanksand relatively complicated mechanisms that include elements that must bein synchronization.

For example, in a conventional straight line collapsible box machine,timed devices have heretofore been commonly used to fold the trailingflaps or trailing marginal portions of the blanks crosswise relative tothe direction of movement of the blanks. No particular difliculty hasbeen experienced in folding the leading flaps or marginal portionscrosswise relative to the direction of movement of the blank, since theleading edge of the blank may readily engage folding hooks or devicesthat will cause such leading portions to fold rearwardly as the blanksmove therepast, but where folding devices must follow and fold marginalportions on the blanks forwardly, in the direction of movement of theblanks, very accurate timing is essential, and such timing is notcompatible with high speed folding.

Also, in many carton structures, one of which is known as the Beersstyle box, portions of the flaps must be folded along lines that extenddiagonally relative to the direc tion of movement of the blanks.

Heretofore special timing devices have been employed for folding theportions of such flaps along said diagonal fold lines, since thetrailing marginal portions must be folded forwardly or in the directionof movement of the blanks, instead of being folded rearwardly.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a machine, and amethod that are adapted to overcome the heretofore difficultiesassociated with the folding of opposite marginal portions of a blank orsheet.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a machine inwhich the marginal portions folded crosswise by the machine relative tothe direction of travel of each blank do not require any timing orsynchronization of folding devices, it merely being necessary that theblanks be in line and not lapped one over the other. The degree ofspacing between blanks is immaterial.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine in whichthe folding of parts of the leading and trailing marginal portions orflaps along fold lines that extend diagonally relative to the path oftravel of the blanks does not require timed devices, and such folds onboth the leading and trailing portions are accomplished where the freeedges along each of such portions face the direction of travel of theblank, thus facilitating fast, accurate folding along said diagonallines.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and in thedrawings.

In the drawings FIGS. 1A and 1B, taken together, con- "nited StatesPatent 3,055,276 Patented Sept. 25, 1962 stitute an isometric view ofthe portion of a sheet folding machine incorporating the presentinvention; FIG. 1A being the infeed end that includes a blank reversingmechanism, and FIG. 1B being the outfeed end.

FIGS. 2A and 2B constitute a side elevational view of the parts shown inFIGS. 1A and 23 including, diagrammatically, a drive arrangement andconventional gluers and final folding plows that are also conventional.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the rearward foldingof a leading marginal portion of a blank.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are fragmentary, vertical, sectional views illustratingthe reversing mechanism and the successive steps in the reversal of ablank that moves through and past the reversing mechanism.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the portion of the apparatus showing therearward folding of parts of the forwardly folded trailing marginalportion of a blank.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of the portion of theapparatus shown in FIG. 7 taken along line il8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view at the point in theapparatus where the leading marginal portion of the blank is foldedrearwardly, and where parts on one of the flaps are folded alongdiagonal lines.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the portion shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an isometric progressive view of a carton blank illustratingthe successive steps performed by the maohine of FIGS. 1A to 2Bindependently of the machine.

A clear understanding of the folding steps accomplished by the operationof the machine of FIGS. 1A to 2B may best be shown by referring to FIG.11, it being understood, of course, that the invention is not restrictedto the particular blank illustrated.

The blank 1 in FIG. 11, at the commencement of its travel, is usuallyflat but is creased, cut and possibly scored for subsequent foldingsteps. This blank comprises a central rectangular body portion 2, havingleading and trailing marginal portions 3, 4 along two opposite edges ofsaid blank, and shorter corner flaps 5, 6 at the ends of leadingmarginal portion 3, and similar flaps '7, 8 at the ends of the trailingmarginal portion 4.

Side marginal portions 9, 10 are along the two lateral opposite edges ofthe blank, and the flaps 5, 7 and 6, 8 are at the ends of the portions9, 1t respectively, so these flaps 5 to 3 may be said to be portions ofeither the leading marginal portions of the blank 1 or portions of thelateral marginal portions. Hereinafter they will be considered parts ofthe leading and trailing marginal portions insofar as this invention isconcerned.

Parallel folding creases 11, 12 define the juncture between the centralbody portion 2 and the marginal portions 3, 4 respectively, whileparallel folding creases 13 14 define the junctures between the bodyportion 2 and lateral marginal portions or flaps 9, It). Cuts 15 extendfrom the ends of folding creases 13, 14 to the free leading and trailingedges of the blank and folding creases 16 are in extensions of the endsof folding creases 11, 12 and extend to the free side edges of theblank, and diagonal creases 17 extend across the ends of marginalportions 3 toward each other while annular diagonal creases 18 extendtoward each other across the ends of portions 4.

Thus blank 1 in its flat condition is moved along a horizontallyextending path of travel, and positioned horizontal in said path to theright as seen in FIG. 11 to a point where the leading marginal portion 3including the corner pieces 5, 6 at the ends thereof, are foldeddownwardly and rearwardly, as seen at position 19, to a position 20 inlapping relation to the body 2 and marginal portions 9, 10.

After said leading marginal portion, including said corner pieces 5, 6are folded to the form shown in position 20, the blank is moved to oneside of said path to position 21 which is illustrated as being the upperside, until it is generally vertical, and it is stopped here and itsdirection of movement is reversed, so that the marginal portion 4including corner flaps 7, 8 are now leading and the flaps 3, 5, 6 aretrailing.

This reversal of direction, as will later appear, could be one in whichthe blank moves back over paths extending either above or below the pathit followed to said reversing point. In FIG. 11, however, upon thisreversal of the movement of the blank, the latter is preferably movedback to horizontal to position 22 along a path substantially inlongitudinal extension of the path leading to the position 21, and theblank is moved to the right, with the marginal portions 4, 7, 8 leading.

As seen in FIG. 11, the movement of the blank continues along its secondpath of travel that is more or less in continuation of the first pathleading to the point of reversal 21, and it is seen that the blank isalso inverted in moving from position 21 to position 22 so that themarginal portion 4 and corner flaps 7, 8 are uppermost, whereas theywere lowermost at position 20.

Since this reversal of the blank has resulted in the free edge ofmarginal portion 3 facing in the direction of movement of the blank asshown in position 22, it is relatively easy at position 22 to engage thefree edges of flap 3 at its ends outwardly of the diagonal foldingcreases 17 to elevate these ends and for folding them onto the adjacentparts of the marginal portion 3 as the blank is moved to the right,which is done so at position 23.

As the blank continues its movement to the right, the leading marginalportion 4 including the corner pieces 7, 8 are easily engaged and foldedrearwardly onto the upper side of the marginal portion 4 as seen inpositions 24, 25.

By engaging the upper surfaces the end parts of the leading marginalportion 4 as the flap 4 is centrally engaged along its free edge andswung rearwardly, it will be seen that the said corner sectionsoutwardly of the diagonal creases 18 will readily be folded against theupper sides of the rearwardly folded marginal portion 3.

At position 24 this folding step is shown and at position 25 it iscompleted.

-It should also be noted that in positions 24, 25 that the corner pieces5, 6 have been folded over the ends of the lateral marginal portions 9,10.

The next step is placing glue on the upwardly facing surfaces of thefolded over end sections that have been folded along diagonal lines 17,18 and to plow the lateral marginal portions 9, including corner pieces5, 6 and 7, 8 toward each other and over the body position 2 includingthe said corner sections for gluing said corner pieces 5, 6 and 7, 8 tothe folded over ends of flaps 3, 4.

Position 26 shows the final form of carton folded flat.

To facilitate identification of parts the ends of the flap 3 outwardlyof diagonal folding creases 17 may be designated 27 while the ends offlap 4 outwardly of diagonal folding creases 18 may be designated 28.

Referring to FIGS. 1A, 2A the flat, unfolded blank 1 as seen at the leftend of FIG. 1 carried horizontally on the upper run of a horizontallyextending conveyor belt generally designated 30, for being carried tothe right Where it passes below the lower run of an endless holddownbelt 31. The blank is moved past belts 30, 31 to between upper and lowerfeed rollers 32, 33, and from these rollers the leading marginalportions, or flaps 3, 5, 6 are engaged by hooks 35, 36, 37 that extendupwardly from below the horizontal path of travel of the blank to acrosssaid path. These hooks are carried on a rod 38 that may be rotatablysupported at its ends in bearings in the frame 39 of the machine, andwhich frame also rotatably supports the various shafts on the pulleysand rollers of the apparatus. Hooks 35-37 may be leaf springs bendableunder the force of the blank as the latter is moved to the right to bendthe flaps 3, 5, 6 downwardly and rearwardly, or the rod 38 may be springurged to upright dot-dash line position 40 (FIG. 3) by a torsion spring41 connected at one end with the frame and at the opposite end with therod. Any suitable rigid stop 42 engageable with a member 43 on rod 38will function to limit the counterclockwise movement of the hooks, asseen in the drawings.

These hooks 35, 36 and 37 will engage the leading edges of flaps 6, 3, 5to swing them downwardly to the positions shown in positions 19, 20 ofFIG. 11, after which the blank will be moved by rollers 32, 33 tobetween the lower and upper runs of upper and lower endless belts 44, 45(FIG. 3) for movement to the reversing mechanism.

The power driven pulley 46 (FIGS. 1A, 4) at the far end of the lowerbelt 45, relative to the end nearest to books 35-37 is positioned beyondthe far pulley 47 and is elevated so that the upper run of the lowerbelt 45 will extend partially around the pulley 47 and upwardly wherebythe blank 1 (FIG. 4) will be discharged upwardly from belts 44, 45 at anangle relative to horizontal for engagement between a central orintermediate roller 49 and a roller 56 that is at the near side of theroller 49 and adjacent to belts 44, 45 while a similar roller 51 is atthe far side of the roller 49 and more distant from belts 44, 45.

Rollers 49, 50 and 51 are parallel with the axes of pulleys 46, 47 androllers 50, 51 as seen in FIG. 4 are horizontally spaced apart and mayhave their axes disposed in a horizontal plane.

The axes of the rollers 50, 51 are at a level above the axis of roller49, and the shafts of both rollers 50', 51 are journalled for rotationin spring urged blocks or bearings that yieldably urge them intoengagement with roller 49.

Above the space between rollers 50, 51 is an inverted, generallyV-shaped member generally designated 53 having its lower edgesrelatively close to the surfaces of rollers 50, 51 along lines below theuppermost surfaces of said rollers and between them. This member 53 isadjustably secured at each opposite end thereof on frame 39 by a bolt 54(FIG. 4) that extends through a vertical slot 55 in a lug 56 that isrigid with member 53.

The generally opposed legs of the inverted V-shaped member aredesignated 57, 58 and are plates that extend convergently upwardly inspaced relation and are connected at their upper ends by a web having acurved downwardly facing surface that is adapted to engage the leadingportion of the blank 1 as the latter is moved upwardly. If desired, aset of rollers 59 may be positioned between the discharge ends of belts44, 45 and rollers 49, 50 to guide the blank 1 upwardly to betweenrollers 49, 50.

The horizontal lengths of the legs 57, 58 of member 53 is such as toextend substantially from end to end of rollers 50, 51 (FIG. 1).

The roller 49 is formed with an outwardly opening V-shaped groove 61extending longitudinally thereof between its ends, but segments 62 ateach end of the groove bridge the open side to provide bearings adaptedto ride on rollers 50, 51 when the V-shaped groove passes across thesurface of each of said rollers.

The downwardly facing curved closed end of member 53 at the web 60 isspaced from the closed end of groove 61, when the latter faces theclosed end of member 53 a distance that is preferably slightly less thanthe distance between the leading edge of blank 1 (which is along thecrease line 11), and the trailing edges of the fiaps 4, 7, 8.

When the blank 1 is fed between rollers 49, 50 in an untimed relation,the trailing edge of the blank will, at the end of its upward movement,enter the groove 61 and the lower edge will be carried clockwise, asseen in FIG. 5 to a position between the roller 49 and roller 51 andsaid roller 49 and roller 50 will then carry the blank in a reversedirection in which the previous trailing edge along flaps 8, 4, 7 willbecome the leading edge.

As seen in FIG. 6, the flaps 8, 4, 7 will be engaged between the lowerand upper runs of upper and lower endless belts 63, 64 for movementbetween said belts away from the reversing device 53. Preferably, belts63, 64 extend horizontally and longitudinally of the belts 44, 45 thatlead to the reversing device 53, and the blank 1 as it is carried awayfrom said device 53 will have the previously folded flaps 3, 5, 6 on theupper side of the blank and in a trailing position, but with their freeedges leading.

The position of the blank now is such that easy, rapid and accuratefolding of the end parts 27, 28 respectively, at the ends of flaps 3, 4can be accomplished without employment of special timing devices as haveheretofore been used, and at this point it may also be emphasized thatthe blanks are not timed relative to the groove 61 in roller 49. Thetrailing edges of the blanks will automatically enter the groove duringrotation of roller 49 irrespective of the position of the roller 49 atthe time the blank is engaged between rollers 49, 50.

Upon the blank approaching position 22 (:FIG. 11), the inherentresiliency of the flap 3 after bending will tend to spring the leadingedge thereof slightly away from the body 2 carrying portions 27 with itso that depending hooks 66 (FIGS. 1B, 2A, 7, 8) supported from a rod 67mounted similarly to rod 38, but above the path of travel of the blank,will engage the leading edge of each portion 27 to bend the portions 27of flap 3 rearwardly to positions over said flap, while a hold-down rod69 rigid with frame 39 and extending longitudinally of the belt 64midway between hooks 66 will hold the main body of the flap 3 againstbending rearwardly. After the end portions 27 of flap 3 are bentrearwardly onto said flap, conventional hold-down strips 70 rigid withframe 39 will hold the end portions 27 against the flap 3 as the blankis moved along its path of travel toward the right (FIG. 1B).

Endless spaced belts 71, 72 extending over the blank supporting conveyorwill bear against the upper surfaces of the lateral flaps 6, 10, 8, and5-, 9, 7 during the fold ing of the ends 27 of flap 3 (FIG. 1B).

The far ends of endless belts 64 and 71, 72 that are remote from thereversing device 53 terminate at approximately the same distance fromsaid device. Just beyond said terminating ends of said belts is ahorizontal rod 73 (FIGS. 1B, 2B, 9, 10) similar to rod 67 and mountedsimilarly to rods 38, 67 but positioned above the path of travel of theblanks, and which hooks are adapted to engage the leading edges of flaps7, 4 and 8 respectively to bend said flaps rearwardly over the adjoiningparts of the blank. These hooks, like hooks 35, 36, 37 on rod 38, andlike hooks 66- on rod 67, will automatically release the flaps engagedthereby after the flaps have been bent rearwardly, and will thenautomatically return to flap engaging position by means such asdescribed for hooks 3 53 7 after the blank has passed below the latter.

Just beyond hooks 74 and in longitudinal alignment with the conveyorbelt 64 is an endless conveyor belt 77 onto which the blank 1 passesfrom belt 64, and over the upper run of belt 77 are a pair of strips 78that are upwardly curved at their ends adjacent to belt 64, andpositioned to engage the end corner pieces 28 at the ends of flap 4 asthis flap is pulled upwardly by the central hook 74. This causes saidcorner pieces to fold forwardly as the remainder of flap 4 is foldedrearwardly by said hook as indicated in position 24 of FIG. 11, and inFIG. 1B.

Continued movement of the blank on conveyor 77 results in the flaps 4,7, 8 being folded flat against the blank while the corner pieces 28 areflat against the flap 4 as seen in position of FIG. 11.

As said movement continues, it should be noted that the ends of thehooks 74 are rounded to freely pass over 6 the trailing flaps 3, 5, 6,instead of catching on the leading edges of said flaps.

After the blank that has been folded to the form shown in position 25 ofFIG. 1 1 passes the hold-down strips 78, it may pass below conventionalgluers (FIG. 213) that deposit glue on the upwardly facing surfaces ofeither the corner pieces 27, 28 or on the upwardly fac ing surfaces offlaps 5-8, or both, and from the gluers the blank passes belowconventional plows 81 that fold the lateral flaps 510 to the positionsshown in position 26 of FIG. 11 in which the flaps 5-8 are glued to thecorner tabs or pieces 27, 28

From the plows 81 the blank may pass between the upper run of a conveyorbelt 82 and a conventional holddown belt 83.

The gluers, plows and belts 82, 8 3 are conventional in box makingmachines.

FIGS. 2A and 2B semi-diagrammatically illustrate the drive connectionsfrom a drive motor 84, the dot-dash lines indicating belts, chains andpulleys or sprocket wheels, which ever are desired.

The frame 39 carries bearings for the pulley shafts, rollers, rods, andthe like that extend between the opposed sides of the frame. Suitablecross frame members, such as indicated at in FIGS. 2A and 2B, maysupport the strips, such as strips 70, 78 and rod 69', and conventionalsupports 84 (FIGS. 2A, 2B) may slidably support the upper runs of theconveyor belts whereever desired.

It is pertinent to note that the reversing device may be positionedgenerally horizontally, instead of vertically, to reverse the directionof the blank so the blank will pass over or below the conveyor belt 45or in any other desired direction, depending upon the direction in whichthe blank is carried after it emerges from between rollers 49, 51, butthe present structure is preferable since it positions the blank as seenin positions 22-25 (FIG. 11) for folding over the end portions 27, 28 offlaps 3, 4 without requiring devices that are timed to the movement andposition of the blank. In other words, the operation of the presentdevice is not dependent upon the synchronization of elements relative tothe blank, or vise versa. The blanks may be widely or closely spaced orboth, and the operations of folding will be just as efficient, with nodelays for clearance of leading blanks, as is required in the foldingmachines that carry the blank along paths extending at right angles toeach other.

Some of the possible changes have been pointed out or suggested above,and others will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.It is therefore not intended that the invention be limited otherwisethan as required by the scope of the appended claims, with due regard tothe spirit as well as the literal wording thereof.

I claim:

1. The method of folding two opposite marginal portions of a sheet offoldable material onto the body of such sheet that comprises the stepsof: moving said sheet along a path of travel with one marginal portionof said two thereof leading the other marginal portion, folding said onemarginal portion onto one side of said body during said movement, thenreversing said sheet end for end in the direction of the movement ofsaid sheet and inverting said sheet whereby said other marginal portionis leading said one marginal portion and said one side of said bodyfaces a direction opposite to the direction faced thereby during saidfolding of said one marginal portion, and thereafter folding said othermarginal portion onto said body while .said other marginal portion isleading said one marginal portion.

2. The method of folding two opposite marginal portions of a sheet offoldable material onto the body of such sheet that comprises the stepsof: moving said sheet along a horizontally extending path of travel withone marginal portion of said two thereof leading the other marginalportion, folding said one marginal portion onto one side of said bodyduring said movement, then reversing said sheet end for end in thedirection of the movement of said sheet and inverting the latter wherebysaid other marginal portion is leading said one marginal portion andsaid body is inverted and thereafter folding said other marginal portiononto said body while said other marginal portion is leading said onemarginal portion.

3. The method of folding the marginal portions of a flat sheet along twoopposite edges thereof onto the body of said sheet that comprises thesteps of: moving said sheet in the plane thereof in one direction in afirst straight path of travel with one edge of said two thereof leadingthe other edge opposite thereto, folding the marginal portion along saidone edge rearwardly relative to said direction of movement to a positionlapping the part of said body adjoining said marginal portion, wherebysaid one edge will face rearwardly relative to said one direction, thenmoving said sheet with said marginal portion leading through a planethat is substantially perpendicular to said first mentioned plane andswinging said other edge relative to said marginal portion in said onedirection to a position in which said other edge is leading saidmarginal portion, then moving said sheet in the plane thereof in saidone direction but in a second path of travel and folding the marginalportion of said blank along said other edge rearwardly relative to thedirection of movement of said blank and to a position lapping the partof said blank adjoining said last mentioned marginal portion.

4. The method as defined in claim 3 that includes the step of foldingrearwardly relative to said one direction of movement portions of themarginal portions along said two opposite edges after said sheet is insaid second path and is moving in said one direction.

5. The method of folding a cardboard blank having folding flaps alongtwo opposite edges thereof that comprises the steps of: moving saidsheet along a path of travel with one edge of said two thereof leadingthe other edge, folding the folding flaps along said one edge onto oneside of said body during said movement, then reversing said sheet endfor end in the direction of the movement of said sheet and invertingsaid sheet whereby the folded flaps along said one edge will lead saidother edge and whereby said last mentioned folding flaps will face adirection opposite to that faced thereby when said flaps were folded,then folding the flaps along said other edge onto said carton andfolding portions of the flaps along both of said edges onto said flapsduring said move ment.

6. The method of folding a cardboard blank having folding flaps alongtwo opposite edges thereof that comprises the steps of: moving saidsheet along a horizontally extending path of travel in one directionwith one edge of said two thereof leading the other edge, folding thefolding flaps along said one edge downwardly and below the lower side ofsaid body during said movement, then, at a point in said path, movingsaid blank to one side of said path and reversing said sheet end for endand inverting it at said point and then continuing movement of saidblank in said one direction in a generally horizontally extending pathwith the previously folded flaps uppermost and trailing said other edge,and then folding the flaps along said other edge onto the upper side ofsaid blank.

7. The method of folding a carboard blank having folding flaps along twoopposite edges thereof that comprises the steps of: moving said sheetalong a horizontally extending path of travel in one direction with oneedge of said two thereof leading the other edge, folding said foldingflaps along said one edge downwardly and below the lower side of saidbody during said movement whereby said one edge will face in a directionopposite to the direction of movement of said blank, then, at a point insaid path, reversing said sheet end for end and inverting said blank andthen continuing said movement in said one direction whereby said otheredge will lead the flaps along said one edge and whereby both of saidtwo edges will face in the direction of movement of said blank, andthereafter folding portions of the flaps along said opposite edges ontothe flaps carrying said portions while said blank is moving in lastmentioned direction.

8. In a blank handling machine, a blank inverting mechanism comprising:a pair of rollers in horizontally spaced, side by side relation, meanssupporting said rollers for rotation about horizontal axes, a centralroller intermediate said pair of rollers in yieldable engagement withthe latter for simultaneous rotation therewith in directions formovement of a blank adapted to be engaged between one roller of saidpair and said central roller in one direction and for movement of suchblank in an opposite direction when engaged between the other roller ofsaid pair and said central roller, blank supporting and moving means forsupporting said blank substantially horizontal and with one side facingupwardly in a position adjacent to said one roller and for moving oneedge of said blank to between said one roller and said central memberfor said movement in said one direction, stationary stop means at theside of said one roller that is substantially opposite to said blanksupporting and moving means spaced from said one roller and said centralroller for engagement by said one edge of said blank and for obstructingfurther movement of such blank in said one direction, means on saidcentral roller for moving the trailing edge of said blank that isopposite to said one edge to said other roller of said pair and to theline of engagement between said central roller and said other rollerupon movement of said blank in said one direction being obstructed bysaid stop means whereby said blank will be moved between said otherroller and said central roller in a reverse direction, and blankreceiving and supporting means adjacent to said other roller forreceiving blank from between said other roller and said central rollerand moving said blank in a direction generally away from said blanksupporting and moving means with the other side of said blank that isopposite to said one side thereof facing upwardly.

9. In a blank folding machine for folding a pair of flaps respectivelyat two opposite edges of a blank over the same side of the body of theblank between said edges comprising: a first blank supporting meansmovable substantially horizontally in one direction on which said blankis adapted to be carried in a horizontal position in a horizontallyextending path of travel with one flap of said pair thereof being aleading flap in a leading position and with the other flap of said pairbeing a trailing flap in a position trailing said leading flap; meansconnected with said movable means for so moving it in said onedirection; a first flap folding means positioned at a point along saidpath and extending across the latter for engaging said leading fiap andfor folding it over the upper side of said body of said blank as saidblank is carried past said first blank folding means by said first blanksupport; said first blank support terminating in a discharged end pastsaid first blank folding means in the direction of movement of saidfirst blank support and; means at said discharge end for directing theleading end of said blank upwardly; blank inverting and reversing meansadjacent to said discharge end of said first blank support for movingsaid blank upwardly to a vertical position and for swinging saidtrailing flap and lower end of said blank past a vertical plane in whichsaid blank is adapted to be moved and in the same direction as saidblank support is adapted to move said blank when the latter is thereon;a second blank supporting means spaced from the discharge end of saidfirst blank supporting means and generally in longitudinal alignmentwith said first blank supporting means having a blank receiving endadjacent to said discharge end and adjacent to said blank inverting andreversing means; means connected with said second blank supporting meansfor moving it in the same direction as said first blank supporting meansis adapted to be moved; means at said blank receiving end of said secondblank supporting means adapted to engage said trailing and lower end ofsaid blank after the latter has been swung past said vertical plane formoving said blank onto said second blank supporting means for movingwith the latter in a new horizontally extending path of travel with saidblank inverted and reversed in end to end relation from its position onsaid 10 first blank supporting means whereby said one flap will 5folding said other flap over the upper side of said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

